diff --git a/roles/nginx/defaults/main.yml b/roles/nginx/defaults/main.yml
index 6f81f15..ec74323 100644
--- a/roles/nginx/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/roles/nginx/defaults/main.yml
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ nginx_version: "1.27.2"
 nginx_flavour: alpine
 nginx_base_path: /opt/nginx
 nginx_config_file: "{{ nginx_base_path }}/nginx.conf"
+nginx_state: present
 
 nginx_container_name: nginx
 nginx_container_image_reference: >-
@@ -25,6 +26,9 @@ nginx_container_image_repository: >-
 nginx_container_image_registry: "docker.io"
 nginx_container_image_name: "nginx"
 nginx_container_image_tag: ~
+nginx_container_image_source: pull
+nginx_container_state: >-2
+  {{ (nginx_state == 'present') | ternary('started', 'absent') }}
 
 nginx_container_restart_policy: "unless-stopped"
 nginx_container_volumes:
diff --git a/roles/nginx/meta/main.yml b/roles/nginx/meta/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b411852
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/nginx/meta/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+allow_duplicates: true
+dependencies: []
+galaxy_info:
+  role_name: nginx
+  description: Deploy nginx, a webserver
+  galaxy_tags:
+    - nginx
+    - http
+    - webserver
+    - docker
diff --git a/roles/nginx/tasks/main.yml b/roles/nginx/tasks/main.yml
index 6a5b98d..9b95af9 100644
--- a/roles/nginx/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/nginx/tasks/main.yml
@@ -1,10 +1,23 @@
 ---
+- name: Check if state is supported
+  ansible.builtin.fail:
+    msg: >-2
+      Unsupported state '{{ nginx_state }}'. Supported
+      states are {{ nginx_states | join(', ') }}.
+  when: nginx_state not in nginx_states
 
-- name: Ensure base path '{{ nginx_base_path }}' exists
+- name: Ensure nginx config file is {{ nginx_state }}
+  ansible.builtin.file:
+    path: "{{ nginx_config_file }}"
+    state: "{{ nginx_state }}"
+  when: nginx_state == 'absent'
+
+- name: Ensure base path '{{ nginx_base_path }}' is {{ nginx_state }}
   ansible.builtin.file:
     path: "{{ nginx_base_path }}"
-    state: directory
-    mode: 0755
+    mode: "0755"
+    state: >-2
+      {{ (nginx_state == 'present') | ternary('directory', 'absent') }}
 
 - name: Ensure nginx config file is templated
   ansible.builtin.copy:
@@ -13,15 +26,18 @@
     mode: 0640
   notify:
     - restart-nginx
+  when: nginx_state == 'present'
 
-- name: Ensure docker container image is present
+- name: Ensure docker container image '{{ nginx_container_image_reference }}' is {{ nginx_state }}
   community.docker.docker_image:
     name: "{{ nginx_container_image_reference }}"
-    state: present
-    source: pull
-    force_source: "{{ nginx_container_image_tag is defined and nginx_container_image_tag | string != '' }}"
+    state: "{{ nginx_state }}"
+    source: "{{ nginx_container_image_source }}"
+    force_source: >-2
+      {{ nginx_container_image_force_source
+        | default(nginx_container_image_tag | default(false, true)) }}
 
-- name: Ensure docker container '{{ nginx_container_name }}' is running
+- name: Ensure docker container '{{ nginx_container_name }}' is {{ nginx_container_state }}
   community.docker.docker_container:
     name: "{{ nginx_container_name }}"
     image: "{{ nginx_container_image_reference }}"
@@ -34,4 +50,4 @@
     networks: "{{ nginx_container_networks | default(omit, true) }}"
     purge_networks: "{{ nginx_container_purge_networks | default(omit, true) }}"
     restart_policy: "{{ nginx_container_restart_policy }}"
-    state: started
+    state: "{{ nginx_container_state }}"
diff --git a/roles/nginx/vars/main.yml b/roles/nginx/vars/main.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..022ab75
--- /dev/null
+++ b/roles/nginx/vars/main.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+---
+nginx_states:
+  - present
+  - absent